Key moments in the rape trial

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Jacob Zuma pleads not guilty to raping a 31-year-old family
friend on November 2 last year at his Johannesburg home.

The woman who laid the charge enters the witness box and gives
her account of events.

Zuma supporters outside court carry a poster asking: "How much
did they pay you nondindwa (bitch)?" A reference to the woman.

The court is cleared of all but supporters of Zuma, the woman
and accredited media so that the woman can testify in camera.

March 7

Cross-examination starts of the woman who laid the charge.

A group of mostly female Zuma supporters burn A4 size pictures
of the complainant with her first name and surname, at the same
time shouting: "Burn this bitch". The Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust
later condemn the action.

The court grants an application that the complainant may be
questioned on her sexual history. Under section 227 of the Criminal
Procedure Act, a person who has laid a rape charge may not be
questioned on their sexual history unless special permission is
granted by a judge.

March 8

Following the publication of photographs of the complainant's
picture being burned outside the court, Judge Willem Van der Merwe
reiterates an earlier order that nothing may be published to
identity her.

Cross-examined on why she did not stop Zuma after penetration,
the woman testifies she froze. "I couldn't talk, I couldn't move, I
couldn't do anything."

The court hears about compensation discussions with her mother
after the alleged rape.

The granddaughter of Judge Bernard Ngoepe is kidnapped in a
violent robbery at her parents' home and found dead the next day.
Ngoepe recused himself from the Zuma trial after it was argued
there could be a perception of bias over his issuing of warrants
relating to Zuma's forthcoming corruption trial. There was not
believed to be a link between the trial and the kidnapping.

March 9

Zuma's lawyer Kemp J Kemp shocks the complainant by producing
a draft of her memoirs. The court hears details of how she was
raped at the age of five, 13 and 14. An African National Congress
exile court docked six months' pay off two of the men because she
was a child when they had sex with her, not for rape. She denies
making other claims of rape.

March 10

Kemp tells the court Zuma will testify they had consensual
sex. She denies there was political influence in her laying the
charge.

The complainant stands down.

The complainant's mother enters the witness box. She tells how
her daughter had previously been treated in a mental institution
because she was having "hallucinations and nightmares".

She tells the court about her meeting with Zuma after the
charge was laid, how he seemed "sombre" and how at a meeting
arranged by KwaZulu-Natal finance MEC Zweli Mkhize they discussed
her daughter's schooling and a fence she needed around her house.

March 13

Psychologist Merle Friedman testifies that it is normal for a
person to freeze during rape and that most women who are raped do
this. It was also normal to take long to report a rape, and to
start using the word "rape" to discuss the event. Kemp questions
whether her diagnosis of dissociative disorder associated with
multiple traumas was not really "selective memory".

Dr Mupata Likibi testifies that during an examination of the
woman a posterior fourchette tear was found that could have been
caused by a nail, not having sex for a long time, lack of
lubrication, or passionate or forceful sex. Otherwise, she did not
show physical injuries.

March 14

Unisa accountancy lecturer Nosipho "Pinkie" Mgudlwa tells the
court she was told of the alleged rape while pressing the woman on
why she did not sound alright during a phone call to borrow an
outfit.

The woman's best friend, Nomthandazo Kimi Msibi, who works in
the Office of Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils testifies how
she declined to ask Kasrils for advice on her friend's security
because of their professional relationship; how her friend stayed
over at her place and was "clingy" after the alleged rape; and how
she was present when the woman met a private lawyer. Afterwards,
her friend told her there was a lot of pressure on her to drop the
charge.

Commissioner Norman Taioe, head of detective services in
Gauteng, testifies that Zuma's first statement to police denied the
rape charge and did not mention that they had consensual sex. It
only referred to "sharing in each other's company privately".

The court hears that Taioe did not include in his record of
the investigation Zuma's taking them to the guest bedroom when
asked to point to the alleged crime scene, instead of to his
bedroom, where he claims they had consensual sex. Zuma would deny
this exchange, his counsel responds.

March 15

Police procedure comes under the spotlight as Taioe is
questioned about whether he read Zuma his rights at his
Johannesburg home, why he did not include Zuma's statement about
the bedroom, and why he did not fill in the requisite forms when
questioning a suspect.

The court is presented an analysis of cellphone records before
and after the alleged rape between most of the characters mentioned
in the trial.

Yusuf Dockrat, the lawyer the woman consulted after the
alleged rape denies that he encouraged her to withdraw charges.

March 16

Virologist Professor Desmond Martin testifies on how the HI
virus works and the probabilities of contracting the virus through
unprotected sex. According to both Zuma and the woman, no condom
was used.

Investigating officer Superintendent Peter Linda attests to
most of the evidence of his senior Taioe, but adds that he cannot
say whether the exchange about the alleged crime scene was a
question or a statement.

The trial is adjourned until March 23 to allow the prosecution
to mull over all the developments and decide how to proceed.

Sapa

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